Share via

The country’s largest “rent-to-own” household goods chain is preparing to capitalise on customers’ eagerness to buy on the never-never.

BrightHouse aims to open 35 stores next year, up from 25 this year, to add to its 253-strong chain.

The target emerged as the company revealed that customers paying for big televisions and leather sofas on a hire-purchase basis had boosted its bottom line. Like-for-like sales rose 7.3 per cent in the year to March 31, with operating profit up 3 per cent to £34.8 million. Including the contribution of 25 new stores, sales rose 17 per cent to £266.5 million